Quick Transmigration: The Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character's Revenge

Qi Ning responded, "I think so."

The death of Mrs. Du reminded the old lady of her eldest son who had died young, and she was naturally somewhat depressed.

But Qi Ning went to talk to her every day, and after a while, the old lady's mood improved a lot, and she smiled more often.

“I remember, it’s Grandmother’s birthday in a few days,” Qi Jingyu said.

When he said that, Qi Ning remembered it too.

Around this time last year, the old lady held her birthday banquet, and Qi Ning even plotted to have Qi Yuan fall into the lake.

In the blink of an eye, a year has passed.

This year, because someone had just died in the family and Qi Jinglin had broken his leg, the old lady did not want to hold a grand birthday banquet to celebrate.

Moreover, now that Qi Congming's status has risen so high, countless people want to curry favor with him. If the old lady holds a birthday banquet, those people will definitely try every means to send him gifts.

Qi Congming naturally wanted to keep a low profile.

After discussing it, the old lady decided that this year's birthday banquet would not be held in a big way, but only a family dinner, where the whole family could have a meal together.

Qi Ning asked Qi Jingyu, "Why did you suddenly bring this up?"

"What do you think?" Qi Jingyu looked at her meaningfully.

Qi Ning understood: "You want to talk about us on Grandmother's birthday banquet?"

"That's right, I plan to ask your grandmother and father for your hand in marriage that day. What do you think?"

Given the relationship between Qi Jingyu and the Qi family, he certainly couldn't issue an imperial edict directly stating that he wanted to marry Qi Ning as his empress. He would have to discuss it properly with the elders of the Qi family and obtain their consent.

Qi Ning tugged at her sleeve and muttered subconsciously, "You seem to be in a hurry."

She didn't really want to enter the palace so soon.

Qi Jingyu's smile gradually faded: "What, you think it's still too hasty? How long do you want me to wait? Do you expect me to sneak over like this?"

"It's not good for you to keep seeing each other secretly like this; it'll be discovered sooner or later."

Although Qi Jingyu always came over late at night and was extremely careful when coming and going, there are no secrets that stay hidden forever. How could a man suddenly appear in the courtyard of an unmarried girl not be discovered over time?

Not to mention that Qi Tang also lives in this courtyard, and on two occasions, he was almost discovered by Qi Tang.

Even if he weren't discovered, Qi Jingyu still had other concerns.

Now that the marriage between Qi Ning and Prince Qing has come to nothing, and Qi Congming has become the Duke of Zhenguo, Qi Ning is now the noble and precious eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo.

Her failed marriage to Prince Qing didn't have much of an impact on her, since her bridal sedan chair didn't even enter the gates of Prince Qing's mansion that day.

Under such circumstances, countless families naturally wanted to become in-laws with Qi Congming.

For example, the Ministry of Revenue Minister's residence and the Duke of Cheng's residence, which Qi Ning had visited before.

Qi Jingyu was worried that if he didn't hurry up, the old lady and Qi Congming would start arranging another marriage for Qi Ning.

Only after marrying Qi Ning and making her his empress could Qi Jingyu truly feel at ease.

Qi Ning sensed a hint of grievance in Qi Jingyu's words and couldn't help but chuckle, "What's wrong? I didn't say I wouldn't agree."

Upon hearing this, Qi Jingyu's face broke into a smile again.

"Then it's settled."

"Mm." Qi Ning nodded.

Qi Jingyu lifted her face and leaned in to kiss her.

On the day of the old lady's birthday banquet, there was indeed no grand celebration.

However, Qi Congming and Zeng Wanqing, the son and daughter-in-law, still invited an opera troupe to their home, hoping to make the old lady happy by watching the opera.

This family planned to go to see a play first, and then have their meal.

Just as the old lady was selecting a play from the script, a maidservant hurried in to announce her arrival.

"Reporting to the old lady, His Majesty has arrived, saying he has come to wish you a happy birthday!"

"what?"

Upon hearing this, the old lady immediately stood up.

"His Majesty has come to the residence?"

“That’s right, old lady.”

Since ascending the throne, Qi Jingyu has been busy with state affairs and has never visited the Duke's mansion.

Of course, given his current status, he no longer needs to come to the Duke's mansion.

Therefore, the old lady was surprised and somewhat flattered to hear that Qi Jingyu had come in person to wish her a happy birthday.

Everyone else was also very surprised when they heard the news.

Even Qi Congming and Qi Jingyu were unaware beforehand that they would be coming to celebrate the old lady's birthday today.

Only Qi Ning, who was sitting to the side, was not surprised at all; she secretly smiled.

“Now that His Majesty has arrived, we must go out and pay our respects to him,” the old lady said.

“Exactly,” Zeng Wanqing echoed.

Everyone stood up, intending to go out to greet His Majesty.

But no sooner had the old lady finished speaking than Qi Jingyu entered with Xiuzhu.

He was dressed in plain clothes and didn't bring many people with him, clearly indicating that he was leaving the palace incognito.

Xiuzhu is now serving as an imperial bodyguard to Qi Jingyu. Qi Jingyu is used to having him serve him, and since they are coming to the Qi family, he brought him along.

After the master and servant entered, everyone inside knelt down and bowed.

Qi Jingyu naturally stopped them, especially the old lady, whom he personally helped up, saying, "Rise."

He was speaking to the old lady, but his eyes glanced at Qi Ning.

The old lady said, "How can I not pay my respects when His Majesty is here?"

"Today is your birthday banquet, and I have come to wish you a happy birthday. You don't need to stand on ceremony."

The old lady then smiled and agreed.

Qi Jingyu glanced at the stage: "Are we here to watch a play?"

"That's right, we're just about to watch the show."

"Then I'll take a look too."

"Your Majesty, please take a seat."

The original seating arrangement was that the old lady was in the middle, with Qi Congming and his wife on one side and Qi Ning with Qi Tang on the other side.

The old lady wanted someone to add a chair between her and Qi Congming, but Qi Jingyu looked at it and said, "I'll just sit next to Ning'er."

Upon hearing this, the old lady smiled and said, "That's good, you two siblings have always had a good relationship."

As soon as the old lady said it, she realized that what she had said was somewhat inappropriate. Qi Jingyu was now the emperor, so how could she say that he and Qi Ning were siblings? It would make it seem as if they were deliberately trying to curry favor with His Majesty.

However, Qi Jingyu didn't seem to care and even replied, "That's right."

The group sat down, and Qi Jingyu sat next to Qi Ning.

As he sat down, he took advantage of the cover of his sleeve to squeeze Qi Ning's hand, then quickly let go.

Qi Ning glanced at him, her eyes filled with a hint of coquettishness.

A slight smile appeared on Qi Jingyu's lips.

Their subtle actions and glances were all observed by Dongyue and Dongxue, who were standing behind them.

Dongyue and Dongxue exchanged a glance, somewhat unable to bear the sight, but thankfully no one else noticed.

What they didn't notice was that Qi Tang, who was sitting on the other side of Qi Ning, had just pulled her little head back inside.

Qi Jingyu then paid close attention to his manners, looking at the script and choosing a play with the old lady, while Qi Ning talked to Qi Tang who was standing next to him.

The place where they were listening to the opera was too noisy and not suitable for conversation. Qi Jingyu planned to have a meal first, and then formally bring up his relationship with Qi Ning.

After watching several plays together, the servants invited them to dine in the dining hall.

Before the meal, Qi Jingyu and Qi Congming went to the study to discuss some official business.

Seeing that the dishes were almost all served but the two of them still hadn't returned, the old lady couldn't help but grumble, "Why haven't His Majesty and the Second Prince come yet? That Second Prince is really something. Can't he have a meal before discussing official business with His Majesty at this hour?"

"Perhaps it's something important," Zeng Wanqing guessed.

"What important thing could it be?"

Qi Ning had been sitting quietly to the side, but suddenly the old lady spoke up: "Ning'er, take some people to the study and ask His Majesty and your father to come and have a meal."

"Me?" Qi Ning asked instinctively.

"Yes, is there something wrong?" the old lady asked.

Zeng Wanqing, who was unwell, chimed in, "Your father and His Majesty are discussing official business. Sending a servant to invite him might not be effective. Your words carry more weight."

Qi Ning nodded slightly: "That's true, then I'll go right away."

After saying that, she stood up and, with her maid, headed towards Qi Congming's outer courtyard.

When Qi Ning went outside the study, Qi Congming and Qi Jingyu were indeed still talking.

When they were discussing matters, the servants dared not urge them on.

After Qi Ning arrived, he was informed and then entered the study.

Qi Congming was somewhat surprised: "Why did Ning'er come here?"

Qi Jingyu didn't say anything, holding his teacup and looking at Qi Ning with a smile in his eyes.

"Father asked me why I came. It was Grandmother who sent me to invite you and His Majesty to dine with her. Today is Grandmother's birthday banquet, after all. What important matter does Father have that he must discuss now?"

Qi Ning's tone was reproachful. Normally, Qi Congming wouldn't have minded, but Qi Jingyu was there at the moment.

As soon as she said this, Qi Congming immediately glanced at Qi Jingyu's expression.

"Ning'er, you must not be rude in front of His Majesty."

But Qi Jingyu spoke to Qi Ning: "Ning'er is right. That matter is not urgent. Do you have to talk to me about it now? Why don't you go and have dinner with the old lady as soon as possible?"

Qi Congming was surprised that Qi Jingyu was so protective of Qi Ning. He felt a little gratified; the siblings really had a good relationship.

But looking at Qi Jingyu and Qi Ning, Qi Congming felt inexplicably uneasy.

He didn't have time to think much and chuckled twice: "Your Majesty is right, let's go have our meal first."

"Let's go, Ning'er."

Qi Jingyu called out to Qi Ning and they exchanged a glance.

Qi Ning understood what he meant; he intended to bring up their story during the meal.

The three of them left the study and walked back.

The old lady and Zeng Wanqing were getting a little impatient.

"Why haven't they arrived yet?"

"Mother, don't worry, didn't Ning'er go and call His Majesty and the others?"

The old lady frowned slightly: "I'm worried about neglecting His Majesty."

Zeng Wanqing smiled and said, "You're worrying too much. His Majesty has lived in our family for so long and has always treated us like family. He wouldn't care about these things."

The old lady smiled and nodded: "That's true. His Majesty values ​​relationships. He not only gets along well with the Second Prince, but also treats Ning'er and the others like his own sisters."

“That’s right,” Zeng Wanqing said. “I was thinking that although Ning’er’s marriage to Prince Qing was ruined, it didn’t have a bad impact on Ning’er because of His Majesty’s favor towards our family. Now that things have passed, we can start looking for other marriage partners for Ning’er.”

The old lady agreed with this suggestion: "Yes, it is indeed time to find another marriage for Ning'er. In my opinion, since His Majesty is here today and knows a lot about the young people in the court, why not ask His Majesty to choose a good candidate for Ning'er? If he could bestow a marriage upon her, that would be even better."

“Mother is right,” Zeng Wanqing agreed.

Qi Tang, who had been listening intently for a long time, suddenly asked, "Grandmother, Mother, are you asking Second Brother to choose a husband for Eldest Sister?"

Zeng Wanqing replied, "Yes, what does Tang'er think?"

Qi Tang is already eight years old. She doesn't know much about matters between men and women, but she has some vague ideas.

She frowned and said, "But, when we were watching the play just now, I saw my second brother secretly holding my older sister's hand!"

Her words were like a thunderclap, instantly shocking the old lady and Zeng Wanqing, among others.

"what?!"

Just then, Qi Congming, Qi Jingyu, and Qi Ning came from the study and were about to enter the dining hall when they heard Qi Tang's words.

A string of ellipses floated past Qi Ning's head...

Alright, now Qi Tang has already started the conversation for them without Qi Jingyu having to speak first.

The family didn't even bother to eat; they just sat together.

Qi Jingyu spoke frankly: "I do indeed admire Ning'er. The reason I came here today is to tell my elders about this matter. I wish to marry Ning'er as my empress. I wonder if the old lady and the Duke of Zhenguo would agree?"

The old lady and Qi Congming exchanged bewildered glances. They hadn't expected Qi Jingyu and Qi Ning to actually...

Previously, they had always thought they were siblings.

Looking back now, Qi Jingyu did treat Qi Ning better than his own sister. He took care of her all the way when they fell off the cliff, and he even protected her when the dilapidated temple collapsed, getting injured in the process.

Even on the day he seized the throne, he was concerned about Qi Ning's safety and personally went to bring Qi Ning into the palace.

Qi Jingyu's explanation at the time was that Ning'er was like bait for their plan, which was very dangerous. Without Ning'er, they would not have been able to seize the throne smoothly, so he went to pick her up.

Qi Congming had no doubts about this, but now, looking back, those events revealed in every way that Qi Jingyu treated Qi Ning differently.

Moreover, it's understandable that Qi Jingyu would develop romantic feelings for her since he knew from the beginning that he wasn't Qi Ning's biological brother.

This made Qi Congming furious. He had let Qi Jingyu stay at his house, but Qi Jingyu had taken a fancy to his daughter. Wasn't this "inviting a wolf into the house"?

Listen to what Qi Tang said. They've already held hands. Who knows how far they've progressed when no one was watching?

Unfortunately, Qi Jingyu was the emperor, so Qi Congming couldn't vent his anger on him; he could only look rather grim.

On the contrary, the old lady was more experienced and knowledgeable, and she accepted things more quickly than Qi Congming.

After listening to Qi Jingyu's words, she looked at Qi Ning, who was sitting to the side with her head down, and asked, "Ning'er, what do you think? Are you willing to marry His Majesty?"

Everyone's attention was focused on Qi Ning.

Qi Jingyu felt a slight sense of tension arise in his heart.

Qi Ning clutched her handkerchief, her face slightly flushed, and said shyly, "I...I'm willing."

Upon hearing her words, Qi Jingyu finally felt relieved.

The old lady understood that since they had already held hands, it meant they were mutually in love, and she was naturally happy to see it happen.

She smiled and said, "Okay, okay."

The old lady then looked at Qi Congming, signaling him to express his opinion: "Second son, what do you say?"

Qi Ning has already said she's willing, so how could Qi Congming possibly object?

He, of course, expressed his agreement.

And so, the matter was settled.

On her birthday, the old lady was overjoyed to see her granddaughter find a good home.

Qi Jingyu quickly issued an imperial edict, declaring that he would marry Qi Ning, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, as his empress, and ordering the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory to expedite preparations for the imperial wedding.

The news shocked the entire capital.

Those noble families and court officials originally thought that since the new emperor had not yet married or taken concubines, they wanted to petition His Majesty to hold a selection process to choose an empress and other concubines.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty suddenly issued an edict announcing that he would marry the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo as his empress.

Those people secretly cursed Qi Congming, that old fox, for not only assisting the emperor in ascending the throne and having rendered meritorious service, but also sending his own daughter into the palace to become empress.

At that time, Qi Congming would not only be the powerful Duke of Zhenguo, but also the Emperor's father-in-law. How could he not attract jealousy?

Other noble families missed their chance and had no choice but to submit a memorial, suggesting that since His Majesty was going to marry the Empress, he should also take in a few more concubines to fill the harem.

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